Tim Hartung is a graduate student at Goucher College. In the summer of 2018, he will be traveling with a group of college-aged students on a 49 day, 4,000+ mile run from San Francisco, CA to Baltimore, MD to raise funds and awareness for The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

What is your connection to the cancer community?

I was diagnosed with leukemia at 14 and went through treatment from 14 to 18 years old. I finished treatment as I entered college. After obtaining a degree in nursing, I graduated and held a position as a pediatric hematology/oncology nurse at the hospital where I was treated for a year and a half. During all of these years I was exposed to a number of stories of children and young adults battling with cancer. Each and every story had a strong child or young adult at the center of it. The heart and resiliency that these children and young adults showed are traits that I try to embody everyday.

Why are you traveling 4,000 miles this summer with the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults?

For me, survivorship is a lifestyle, I am always interested in opportunities to help among the cancer community. The Ulman Cancer Fund is an organization helping a unique community that means a lot to me as someone who went through cancer treatment as a young adult. The mission of UCF is one that hits home and I am excited to have the opportunity to make an impact within this particular community.

Additionally, after I went through the initial phases of my treatment in high school I was able to return to school. When I returned to school I started up a fundraiser for the Four Diamonds Fund, a fund that takes care of any costs that are not covered for families effected by pediatric cancer at Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. During my time organizing these Mini-Thons (the name of the fundraiser) in my junior and senior year I was able to experience the sense of greater good that comes with carrying out philanthropy. Not only did I experience this feeling myself, but even more rewarding was seeing how the fundraiser made others participating feel that same sense of greater good. I hope to be able to experience those feelings again along with the members of my 4K for Cancer team.

FUNDRAISING CHALLENGES

Donate $10 and encourage your friends and family to do so and I will do things that I would rather not do or I am completely terrified of doing. These things will be on video for you all to enjoy. As you can see below the more people that donate, the more difficult the challenges get for me. It is the number of DONORS that matters, not donations. If you want to see me do the hardest of challenges share my link with all your family and friends!

Beer Mile - 4 laps, 1 beer before each lap. Why this is a thing I will never understand. As a member of the running community I have dreaded the inevitable day that would have to do it, now it's at least for a cause.

2/15/2015

150

All-American Challenge - Well if I don't enjoy the Beer Mile, I surely won't enjoy this...12 miles, 9 beers, 6 hot dogs (with bun), and 3 donuts. Brought to us by Falls Road Racing Team based out of Baltimore, MD.

3/15/2015

262

Marathon in a Banana Suit - Oh dear

4/15/2015

350

Choose a Dare - I ran out of ideas, so you all get to choose one if you make it this far. I hope you do, game on.

5/15/2015

500

50k in a Banana Suit - I know it's only a few more miles than the marathon, but I'll take this challenge to some knarly trails. I fear for not only myself, but the integrity of the Banana Suit

End of 4K for Cancer

750

Skydive - Curse you all for being so good at fundraising

End of 4K for Cancer

1,000

Bungee Jump - I will surely pass out...even at the thought of completing this challenge

End of 4K for Cancer

ABOUT 2018 4K for Cancer

2018 marks the 17th year of the 4K for Cancer sending young adults on journeys across the country in an effort to inspire hope and unite communities in the fight against cancer. The 4K for Cancer is a program of The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults (UCF). Interested in joining the fight? Apply to be a rider or runner a at www.4kforcancer.org!

CHALLENGE:

Over 70,000 young adults are diagnosed with cancer every year. Young adults (ages 15-39) face a variety of unique challenges with a cancer diagnosis including fertility preservation, social isolation, lack of insurance, delayed diagnosis, and more.

SOLUTION:

The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults changes lives by creating a community of support for young adults, and their loved ones, impacted by cancer. With your support, the Ulman Cancer Fund is able to provide free support services and resources for the young adult cancer community including:

Cancer to 5K - a 12-week training program designed to introduce or reintroduce cancer survivors to physical activity.

Patient Navigation - a free program (onsite at cancer centers and remotely through our office) that ensures no young adult ever faces cancer alone. We provide one-on-one support & resources to young adults and their families to help them manage the cancer experience and long-term cancer survival.

Scholarships - a financial assistance program to help young adults continue their education after being affected by cancer through their own diagnosis or the diagnosis of a loved one.

UCF House - This year UCF broke ground on a “home away from home” to provide free housing for young adult cancer patients, and their caregivers, in East Baltimore.

Your donation will help make these programs and our mission possible!

Supporters

Name

Date

Amount

Comments

Henry Peck

02/12/2018

$100.00

Henry Peck

02/12/2018

$100.00

Good Luck! Matching donation from Geiger Pump for you!

Graham Peck

01/22/2018

$25.00

Nice thoughts for the challenges!

Mildred Hartung

01/22/2018

$100.00

Good Luck Tim!

Ellen Mulhern

01/22/2018

$200.00

Go for it Tim!

Cheryl Thompson

01/21/2018

$40.00

Heidi Dawson

01/16/2018

$100.00

Good Luck Tim!

Cindy & Ken Haenn

01/14/2018

$20.00

Good luck & God bless you, Tim!

Dan Hartung

01/12/2018

$125.00

Can't wait to see the "bee" video. (He used to whine about cutting the grass around the dog fence in our yard because the wasps liked to hang out on the cedar rails in hot weather. Paid him an extra dollar once for cutting the grass because he got stung.)

Gene & Kristin Swanson

01/12/2018

$50.00

Go, Timoteo, GO!!

Debbie Barker

01/12/2018

$40.00

This is such an exciting adventure Tim! You have always been a great inspiration to the running community & everyone who knows you Have a great trip!
The Barker family
(Zach’s family)

Thomas and Kimberly Swanson

01/10/2018

$50.00

Anne Mercer

01/10/2018

$100.00

A fear of bees runs in the family. God speed. Literally.

Katie Chapman

01/10/2018

$20.00

Courtney Weik

01/10/2018

$50.00

Rock on

Sean Caskey

01/10/2018

$25.00

✌️

Scott Plunkett

12/25/2017

$50.00

Nancy Brady

12/24/2017

$50.00

Merry Christmas Tim. I am so very proud of you.

John Hunyara

12/22/2017

$20.00

Go Tim!

Taylor Cline

12/21/2017

$10.00

Donating on the condition that you must wear the banana costume to class.